Empire State Democrats blasted the hour-long speech as "divisive" and lacking in "specifics," with one congressman telling the Daily News that Trump's words amounted to "a monument to hypocrisy."

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Jerrold Nadler, the Democrat representing a large swath of Manhattan's west side, claimed Trump's opening remark about combating racism was an act of lip service.

"He talked about unity but he's sowing divisiveness, has victims of murders by illegal immigrants when we know that the crime rates of illegal immigrants is less than the crime rate of people born here," Nadler told The News, referring to the four civilian audience members Trump invited to attend the speech. "He could have just as easily had victims of murders by people born in the United States; instead he's trying to sow hatred of immigrants."

Fellow New York City native Hakeem Jeffries, who represents Democrats in parts of Queens and Brooklyn, argued that the bar is so low for Trump that anything "slightly more presidential" than his "disgrace" of an inauguration speech will be lauded by Republicans.

"Donald Trump has demonstrated himself throughout his life to be full of hot air," Jeffries said. "There's no reason to believe that this was anything different even though he is running around as the President of the United States of America. He talked a good game but there's no meaningful evidence that he is genuinely interested in bringing the country together."

But New York Republicans begged to differ, calling Trump's speech "great" and "inspirational."

"President Trump was masterful at reaching out to people who frankly were primed not to support anything tonight," said upstate GOP Rep. Chris Collins, who was the first congressman to endorse Trump's presidential bid.

"I told the President after the speech that I believed strongly that our country needed every moment of it," Zeldin said. "What's important is that in the months, years and decades ahead as long as there is any anti-Semitism that exists there will always be more to say."

"The speech and reality have never been more detached in a presidential speech," Schumer told MSNBC on Tuesday night. "It really doesn't matter what he said. This is like the campaign, and he says one thing but as he governs it's another."